Facing Reality
by jadefirefly3D
Summary: Dipper, Wendy and Soos enter Mabel's bubble, not knowing what they'd find. They didn't know what to expect, but they didn't expect this. Now they must convince Mabel of what's really real, but how do they save someone who doesn't want to be saved? And when the truth threatens to tear the twins apart when they need each other most, will they be strong enough to overcome it?
1. Chapter 1

A/N Sorry I haven't been writing much lately. It's a long story. I've had a lot going on recently and I needed to take a hiatus to focus on getting my real life back in order after...well stuff. I'll spare you the details here but I've had to deal with some major losses in the last few months that have hit me quite hard. Anyway, Weirdmageddon blew me away. I can't wait until Nov 23 to find out what happens next so naturally I've got to make up my own version to hold me over until the next episode. Consider this three-shot my attempt to get back in the game. I'll work on updating my other stories soon. You guys are amazing!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter One**

"Remember, this is a prison designed by Bill," Dipper warned as he and Soos and Wendy stood on the bridge, looking up at the giant, dark pink bubble with the shooting star design. The bubble was cracking, and looked almost volatile, and Dipper dreaded to think about how this whole time Mabel had been trapped inside. Who knows what kind of horror she'd been subjected to? He pushed aside his worry and anxiety for her and the pain in his body to replace it with stone cold determination. No way was he going to let his sister rot in some horrible prison of Bill's making. "We have to prepare ourselves for whatever we might find."

 _Please be OK, Mabel, please be OK…_

"Yes, but we'll do it together, for Mabel!" Soos said, holding out his hand.

"For Mabel!" Wendy chimed in, putting her hand on Soos's with equal determination.

Strengthened by his friends' resolve, Dipper put his hand on theirs, "For Mabel!"

Together they approached the cracking bubble and Dipper held out the key and took a deep breath as he unlocked the chains surrounding Mabel's prison. They fell away easily. Almost too easily. _It could be a trap…_ Taking hold of Soos and Wendy's hands, together they stepped into the bubble, with no idea of what they'd face.

Everything flashed a blinding white and Dipper squinted to shield his eyes. But as they stepped further inside the whiteness subsided and was replaced by clear blue skies. It was warm and birds were chirping as they flew by without care. They looked at each other in confusion.

"Mabel?" Dipper called, "Where are you?"

They recognized the path they found themselves on, it lead directly to the Mystery Shack. "Come on, dudes," Soos said, leading the way. The trio quickly made it to the Shack, and discovered the place was in pristine condition. It looked like it always had, the same quirky character but it seemed newer, and business seemed to be booming. Stan was greeting tourists, happily taking all their money, and even some of the locals where there and they weren't angry with him for scamming them again.

"Mabel?" Dipper called out in confusion. Not that he was complaining, but he was expecting something horrible but this seemed more like a dream, especially considering the nightmare the last few days had been since Bill took over. But why would Bill, who took so much pleasure in seeing everyone suffer, trap Mabel in a bubble that looked so incredibly normal and happy?

Just then the door to the Gift Shop opened and Mabel stepped out, a huge smile on her face with Waddles by her side.

"Mabel!" Dipper called, waving to her as the trio approached her. Seeing her after all this time, happy and most of all alive was overwhelming and he felt tears form in his eyes, "Oh man, Mabel it's so good to see you! I thought I'd never see you again!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her, unable to contain his emotion.

"Hey Dipper," Mabel said with confusion as she reluctantly returned the hug, "uh, good to see you too? What's wrong bro-bro?" she cooed, alarmed by how shaken up he was, "Hey, it's OK, I'm right here," she soothed comfortingly as she looked to Wendy and Soos for answers, eying them up and down, "What happened? You guys look like you've been to hell and back!"

"We kinda did," Wendy murmured, "What happened to you? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," Mabel tilted her head, clearly perplexed that they would ask her that when they looked like they just finished fighting an army of vampire ninjas. "Never better actually. Come on inside, let's get you three patched up and then you can tell me all about it!"

"Mabel…" Dipper started, completely baffled, "you…you mean you don't know what happened? About Bill?"

She rolled her eyes, "Here we go," she sighed, "That stupid triangle guy is back again messing with you? I oughta give him a piece of my mind! That why you're so emotional?"

"I haven't seen you in three days, I didn't know if you were alive or dead, I had no idea what happened to you when the…"

"Wow, he really got to you this time, didn't he?" Mabel frowned, "Must've done a number on you. I'm _fine_ , I saw you just this morning. Sounds like Triangle Guy really messed with your head. What a jerkface!"

Dipper sniffed and exchanged looks with Wendy and Soos. _Mabel has no idea, does she? She doesn't know that it's_ her _head that Bill's messing with. How do we tell her that the world is ending, Bill's taken over and she's been trapped in a prison bubble for the last three days while Gravity Falls burns to the ground?_

Mabel smiled, "Well, don't worry about it anymore. It's over and everything is fine now. Come on!" She led the way into the Mystery Shack and set Dipper and Wendy down at the kitchen table and poured them each a glass of Mabel Juice and gave Soos a warm and hearty pat on the back, "OK guys, drink up! I promise that will cure what ails ya!"

"I don't know…" Dipper frowned skeptically, "Mabel listen, we don't have time for this you're…"

"Drink it!" Mabel ordered, "Honestly, it'll fix you guys right up! You look really sore and just trust me when I say this will make you feel all better! Plus it tastes great!"

"But I have to tell you something important…"

"Wow, this actually is pretty good," Wendy exclaimed with surprise as she took a tentative sip, "it tastes amazing actually, like…my favourite thing in the world!" she downed her glass greedily and Dipper gaped at her incredulously, "What? It's good, you should try it! And I actually am starting to feel better!"

Dipper watched with amazement as her cuts and bruises started to fade and he looked to Mabel who silently urged him to try it. _What is it? An illusion? I wonder if this bubble is like, a dream or something and maybe Mabel's the one controlling it, not Bill and Wendy's getting better because Mabel wants her to. Or maybe it's a trick…_

"Do you want some Soos?" Mabel asked, "I made it especially for you guys, I don't know what you've been up to but I think you all could use a boost from my Mabel Juice!"

"All right Hambone, why not?"

She cheerfully poured him a glass, "Come on Dipper, it's not going to hurt you! You'll feel better. Trust me! You really shouldn't knock it until you tried it."

"Dude! It tastes like my Abuleita's special strawberry mango lemonade she likes to make!" Soos exclaimed, "But better!"

"Really? Mine tastes like the best iced Frappuccino I ever had! " Wendy laughed, "Weird! Dipper you have to try it, it's…like magic! I feel great now."

Dipper frowned, and it was true that her cuts and bruises were gone, and Soos looked more energized now but he was suspicious. What if it was a trick by Bill, what if this wasn't really Mabel? Or it was but she didn't know she was being influenced by Bill and she was unknowingly poisoning them or something? Did he really want to drink the magic Kool-Aid?

"I don't know…"

"Dipper…don't you trust me?" Mabel asked, genuine hurt flashing briefly in her eyes. Meanwhile outside the blue skies were quickly being replaced with grey clouds, a little _too_ quickly. "I just want you to feel better and happy, why won't you try it?"

"Mabel, we don't have time for this right now…Bill he…"

"He's a big fat meanie buttface," Mabel stated, "and if he's causing you trouble and we need to fight him or whatever, don't you think you'd do better if you were in tip-top shape? A little bit of Mabel Juice can go a long way! Come on bro-bro, for me?"

Dipper sighed, "I don't think you understand…"

"Come on man, just try it," Wendy urged him with a smile, "you won't regret it."

"And what if it's a trick?"

"Why do you think I'd trick you like that? You're talking as though you think it's going to hurt you or something!" Mabel exclaimed, "Well it's not! I don't want you to get _hurt_ I want you to feel _better_!"

"I know you wouldn't hurt me but…" Dipper sighed with frustration. How to explain…? "How do I know you're really Mabel and not a trick? How do I know you're not BILL!"

Mabel recoiled in shock, offended that he would ask that but as she seemed to think about it her expression turned to pity, "Wow. That Bill guy really got to you, didn't he? Stupid triangle!" She pulled him into a hug, "Dip, it's me, honest." She released him from the hug and forced him to look in her eyes. "It's me."

Dipper pulled away, staring at her on his own accord before he sniffed, "I really missed you."

"Oh Dipper," she murmured sympathetically, "Of course it's me! Besides, the Mystery Shack is protected, remember? I got that unicorn hair? He can't get in here," Mabel reminded him, she tilted her head towards the Mabel Juice, "Drink up. Please?"

With a sigh he took a reluctant sip and was met with the sweetest flavour he'd ever tasted. Not obnoxiously sweet like he would expect from Mabel Juice, but the flavour was absolutely perfect. Despite its pink with confetti like colour, it tasted like an orange milkshake, his favourite drink, but it was like the best orange shake he ever had in his life! Soos and Wendy weren't lying about it, not that he thought they would, but it still seemed weird to him. Immediately the deep ache from all the bruises in his body eased up slightly. He took another sip and then another. Soon he felt better than he ever felt before.

"Mabel, that's…"

"Amazing?" she grinned, "I told you so, bro-bro!"

"But how?" he asked, noticing the clouds outside dissolve as Mabel's mood was instantly lifted.

"Didn't you know by now never to underestimate the power of Mabel?" she asked with a wink.

Dipper smiled at her, a pang of sadness tugging at his heart. Mabel was so happy here, a part of him didn't want to ruin it but outside the world was ending, and no matter how happy Mabel might be, she was still Bill's prisoner, even if she didn't know it. Besides, he needed her. "Mabel, listen," he murmured quietly, glancing at Wendy and Soos who both nodded encouragingly. "We have to talk. About Bill."

"Right," Mabel nodded, "so what did that three sided jerk do to you?"

"It's not what he did to me," Dipper said hesitantly, "it's what he did to everyone, but most importantly, what he did to you."

"What do you mean?" Mabel asked, narrowing her eyes looking equally concerned and confused, "He didn't do anything to me. I'm fine."

"Mabel, none of this is real," Dipper revealed, "Bill's taken over the world. He managed to get physical form and now Ford's been turned into a statue, I have no idea what happened to Stan and everything is in chaos. And he trapped you in this bubble and it looks so normal because I don't know, I guess he didn't want you to escape so he made you think nothing's changed. If we're going to stop Bill, I need your help and we're here to rescue you."

Dipper wasn't sure how Mabel would react but she stared at him incredulously. Something flashed in her eyes, hinting that maybe she believed him but then she cocked her head to the side, "Um…what?"

"Bill, he took over the world."

"And trapped me in…a bubble?" Mabel quirked an eyebrow and then burst into laughter, "Seriously? That's the craziest thing I ever heard!"

"But it's true," Wendy added, "None of this is real."

"Is this a joke?" Mabel asked, as though she wasn't sure whether to be amused, offended or worried.

"No," Dipper replied. "After our fight a few days ago, you ran off into the woods remember?" He paused a moment as she shook her head blankly. "You uh, you grabbed the wrong backpack by mistake. You took my backpack and inside there was an interdimensional Rift…"

"Interdimensional what now?"

"Rift. It's a long story but it was what Great Uncle Ford and I were trying to protect and keep from Bill. It's why we needed the unicorn hair, so Bill couldn't get in and somehow get to it. If it broke then it would allow Bill to tear a hole between our world and the Nightmare Realm."

Mabel looked almost dizzy as he tried to explain it, "I don't….I don't follow."

"I don't know how exactly, but it had been cracking and my best guess is that it accidentally broke while you had it, and that brought Bill into our world with physical form and now he's taken over," Dipper replied, "he trapped you in this fake reality, I think so you wouldn't try to escape and…"

"You're talking crazy!" Mabel shook her head, as clouds outside began to form once again, "Bill got into your head and has messed with you!"

"You don't remember?" Dipper asked, and then thought about it, "Of course you wouldn't. If you did you would know that this was all an illusion…"

"No, no, no," Mabel exclaimed, "The illusion is this crazy belief that Bill Cipher took over the world! Look around you Dipper! Everything is fine!"

"But it's the truth, dude," Soos said gently as Wendy nodded with agreement, "we were there."

"It's why we were so banged up," Wendy added, "We went through a lot just to get to you."

"You're _all_ cray-cray then!" Mabel insisted, backing away, "If this is a joke or something, it's not funny because I'm seriously starting to worry about your mental health! Whatever Bill did to you…"

"It's not a joke," Dipper said gently, taking her hand but she pulled away. Judging by the outright denial in her reaction…"I think you know it too, maybe even remember… somewhere deep down I think you know we're telling the truth."

Mabel hesitated, looking at her friends with scrutiny, "I think that Bill really screwed with your minds, so I'm beginning to believe that you're not lying because you guys _actually_ believe you're telling the truth. But come on, I'm stuck in a bubble? Must be a really big bubble."

"It is actually," Soos verified with a nod.

Mabel groaned, "Look around you though! If Bill trapped me in a bubble then wouldn't it be more, I don't know, nightmarish? Less normal and _real_!" She pinched Dipper hard.

"Ow!"

"That feel real to you?"

"Yeah, because _I'm_ real, we all are!" Dipper retorted.

"Of course—!" she rolled her eyes, annoyed and baffled.

"It's this world around you that's the illusion!" he continued, "Come on, don't you think it's weird that one glass of Mabel Juice, which I _know_ tastes like an abomination in real life, would somehow taste like our favourite drink _and_ heal us of our wounds?"

"Yeah, it totally makes sense that in a world that Bill made up just to keep me prisoner for some silly reason would do something to actually _help_ you!" Mabel scoffed, "It just so happens that I may have spiked it with some enchanted ingredients I got from some faeries."

"Seriously?" Dipper raised as skeptical brow.

"They owed me one," Mabel shrugged nonchalantly.

"What are you...how—?" Dipper rolled his eyes dismissively and returned to the matter at hand, "My theory is that Bill wanted to trick you so you wouldn't escape, but we're here to rescue you! We have to stop Bill, and if we're to have a fighting chance, we need you. I need you, Mabel. I think Bill knows that."

She sighed, rubbing at her temples as though fighting a headache, "What do you need me to do?"

"So you believe us?"

"No," she replied, "I'm _humouring_ you. But if I'm ever going to convince you that this is real and you three have gone all cray-cray, I'm going to play along with whatever you need me to do. Maybe it will help you with whatever Bill did to you guys."

Dipper glanced at Wendy and Soos and they both shrugged, "OK, well, I can accept that."

"We'll take what we can get," Wendy agreed.

"OK, but I have to do something first," Mabel pulled out her phone and dialled, putting it on speaker.

"Hey Mabel!" Grenda's loud voice greeted, "What's up?"

"Sorry girls," she sighed, "I'm going to have to cancel today."

"What, why?" Candy's voice whined.

"My bro-bro's gotten a little cray-cray," Mabel sighed, as though she had been horribly inconvenienced, "seems he doesn't believe any of this world is even real."

"Seems pretty real to us!" Grenda exclaimed.

"I know right?! That's what I'm saying!" Mabel agreed, "Anyway, it's a long story but he needs me right now, OK? See you girls tomorrow?"

"Sure thing Mabel," Candy said.

After she said her good-byes with her friends Mabel sighed and straightened up, "OK, so what now?"

"Come with us," Dipper said taking her hand and leading her to the main door with Wendy and Soos close behind, "soon you'll see that none of this is real."

"And that's where I think you're wrong," Mabel grinned, "but if this is the only way I can prove it to you that this _is_ real and you guys have gone bonkers, then so be it."

"I guess we'll find out, right?" Dipper asked.

"I guess so."

 _I'm sorry Mabel_ , Dipper thought as they headed outside, _When you find out the truth and I literally have to burst your bubble, something tells me it's going to hurt..._

* * *

A/N Thanks for reading, as always. Please let me know what you think! Please note that I'm a major spoilerphobe and have therefore not watched any promos or anything because I want to go into each episode totally blind, so if for whatever reason you feel compelled to, please don't spoil me in your reviews, even if it's just something from the promo! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thanks for the reviews and the support guys! It truly means a lot!

Awesomedude1: It's good to be back. Thanks for the review!

littlestmchenrys: Um...OK? Thanks for the comment, I think.

MineWonderland: Thanks for the review and the fave! I'm glad you like this so far and I hope you like this chapter. I honestly don't know what Bill has planned, but since Mabel accidentally made a deal, it makes sense, right? Of course things Bill does rarely makes sense...hmm...

Extreme Light 9: Thanks for the positive review! I hope you like this next chapter!

TMNTGFKittySidekick01: Thank you for your support. You're an awesome person and I will PM you soon. Hope you like this update!

Kayleigh1789: Thank you so much for your patience and for being so supportive with my stories.

OMAC001: I'm not sure what to expect the next episode, I'm sure it will be hilarious AND emotional. Thanks for the review!

GraceKim1: Thanks!

Princess Dia: While I have no idea what to expect next episode (thanks for not spoiling the promo) I'm sure it will be awesome. Probably will be vastly different than what I came up with, (and much better too!) but no matter what I can't wait. Thanks for the review and it's good to be back! I'm glad you like this so far!

BlackTearsonSnow: Thanks for the review! I'm really happy that you like it so far! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

wolvesofthebluemoon: Yeah, I agree with your comment about being a little rushed, at least moreso than my other stories. Part of it is because I want to get it finished before the next episode airs, you know what I mean? Glad you like Mabel, it's so hard to get her personality right, so thanks!

Well, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter since it's more of a transition chapter of things that needs to be said before the action starts, but anyway, here it is guys! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Dipper led the way, taking Mabel to where he, Wendy and Soos ended up when they entered the bubble. The walk went by without much incident as Mabel chattered on and on about this and that, not really letting anyone get much of a word in. She spoke of the wonderful day she was having, about how that morning she and Dipper, well, a version of Dipper who existed in Mabel's bubble anyway, finally managed to encounter Bigfoot.

"Oh come on, bro-bro, how could you not remember that?" Mabel asked, "It happened this morning! You were so excited about it too!"

"And I'm telling you it didn't happen," Dipper sighed, not knowing how else to convince her, "I hadn't seen you in three days, you only think it happened because this bubble has made you believe this to be reality, when it's not!"

"Look Hambone," Soos tried, "I know it has to be hard to believe, but it's the truth, dude."

Mabel frowned, "I still think you guys have gone cray-cray. Everyone else we've talked to today knows that this is real."

"They're all illusions," Dipper insisted.

"Right," Mabel nodded skeptically, "and somehow Candy, Grenda, Grunkle Stan and all the tourists in the shop are all fake, and yet I'm real and you guys are real. Do you know how insane that sounds?"

"Yes," Dipper admitted plainly, "I do realize that, but when we get to the edge of the bubble, you'll see."

"How do you know the world outside this so-called bubble isn't the fake world and this isn't reality?"

"Whoa," Soos exclaimed, "she's got a point there, dude."

"Not helping, Soos," Wendy groaned.

"Hey dude, I'm just sayng she's got a point, not saying she's right," Soos continued, turning to Mabel, "but trust us Hambone, we're not crazy."

"So you think _I'm_ the crazy one?" Mabel asked.

"No, we don't think you're crazy either. Bill messed with your reality, that doesn't make you crazy," Wendy said.

"Is it just me, or have we been walking a long time?" Dipper frowned, glancing around at the woods, realizing that it was taking longer to get back to the place where they first arrived inside the bubble than it took to get to the fake Mystery Shack.

"Yeah," Wendy agreed, "we should be at the bubble by now."

"Or there's no bubble," Mabel smirked, folding her arms with smug satisfaction, but then her expression shifted into doubt, and the far too perfect weather was interrupted by a cool breeze that whispered through the trees, making her shiver, "guys, I'm still not sure if you're trying to mess with me or not, and if you are, I applaud your commitment, but if this is all a joke can you please stop now? I'm starting to really worry about you."

"Mabel," Dipper sighed, "we're not joking. This is serious. Outside the world is ending and if we're going to save it, we need to save you first. You're the only one left who's been able to defeat Bill so far, I can't do this without you, you _have_ to believe us. Come on, with all the weird stuff we've seen since we got here, you have to at least accept the _possibility_ , right?"

She regarded him with uncertainty and something flashed in her eyes, a memory, or maybe something about her world that seemed…off. Mabel shook her head with adamant denial, backing up a step, as the wind began to pick up and grey clouds began to roll in, covering the perfect blue sky, "I'm sorry, it just…sounds too crazy, even for Gravity Falls. I mean, let's say you are right, Triangle guy took over and put me in a fake reality…why? If he had me, why not just get rid of me?"

Dipper shrugged, "I don't know, but I'm glad he didn't."

"Maybe it's a trap? What if once we get in, there's no way out?" Soos wondered.

Dipper, Wendy and Soos all exchanged worried glances and Mabel watched them curiously and then she started to grin, "Wow. You guys…you _almost_ had me for a second," she chuckled and the cool wind died down, "Oh yeah, Mabel we'll prove it to you and take you to the edge of the bubble! Oh wait, there's no way out anymore, no way to prove we're right because it's now a convenient trap!" she said in a fake mocking voice.

"Maybe the only way we can get out is if you _believe_ it's true," Dipper theorized, _Makes sense, maybe that's the trick, we have to convince her somehow._

Mabel rolled her eyes, "OK, will you guys cut it out now? You got me! You tricked me and got me to go along with this madness but now this whole thing is getting old! There is no bubble trapping me in a fake reality! There is no apocalypse or anything! Bill hasn't taken over because he's still stuck in the Mindscape or whatever, right? So either you're all delusional or this is a joke you've all taken too far!"

As she spoke the wind picked up again, the temperature dropping, making everyone shiver. The clouds that began to form took a darker shade of grey.

"Funny weather we're having, don't you think?" Dipper asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mabel huffed folding her arms and looking away from everyone, glancing everywhere but at her friends and brother. "It's getting a little chilly, but so what?"

"Seems to match your mood," Dipper mused. "Haven't you noticed?"

Mabel snorted skeptically, "OK, I know you're desperate for me to believe you, but now you're just reaching."

"When you're happy but the weather was nice, but now you're not happy and it's gotten cloudy and colder," he grabbed her by the shoulder and made her look at him, "Doesn't that seem weird to you?"

"Not really," she said, trying to pull away, but something in her eyes told Dipper that she _was_ finding it strange and that while she didn't quite believe it, she was much more open to the possibility than she let on, and she seemed almost scared by it. "Coincidence. Not everything has to be a conspiracy broseph."

"Mabel, why would I make up something _this_ crazy if it wasn't true?" Dipper asked.

"It's a prank then."

"You _know_ me better than that," Dipper sighed, feeling like they've been going in circles on the issue.

Mabel's eyes watered and she sniffed, "Dipper…I…you're starting to freak me out. I wish this was a joke because the only alternative is that something horrible happened to you guys that's making you believe something so _insane_."

"Something horrible did happen," Dipper told her gently, "That's what I've been trying to say all along and I think deep down you believe me. None of this is real."

She shook her head, "You're wrong."

"Hey guys," Dipper said to Wendy and Soos, "can you uh, excuse us for a second?"

"Sure thing dude," Soos nodded and he and Wendy continued down the path a few paces while Dipper pulled Mabel aside.

"Mabel do you remember the fight we had a few days ago?"

"What fight?" Mabel asked, "When did we have a fight?"

"You accidentally overheard Great Uncle Ford ask me to stay in Gravity Falls to be his apprentice," Dipper started.

"He wants you to be his apprentice?" Mabel quirked an eyebrow, shaking her head in confusion. "That's…great I guess? But what about…?"

"You don't remember this?" Dipper asked, concerned, "Come on, you have to remember. I went off to help Ford while you planned our birthday party and we had walkie-talkies to stay in communication…"

"Why would I plan our birthday so early?" Mabel asked, looking genuinely confused now.

"It's only four days away," Dipper said.

"No it's not," she shook her head in denial, "it's not. We have almost the whole summer ahead of us still, there's still plenty of time!"

"Mabel…" Dipper sighed, _Oh man, she truly doesn't remember anything that brought her here, does she?_ "I know it must be hard to believe this if you don't remember but…can you hear me out? Maybe you'll believe me if you knew what really happened," He paused and she motioned him to continue, "I'm not sure what happened exactly on your end, but I guess you were having an awful day, and I wasn't there for you because I was with Ford. When he asked me to be his apprentice, I had wanted to tell you myself but I guess the walkie-talkie was on and you overheard. You were so upset about it and…I guess I don't blame you. I should've talked to you first before making any decision, I had no idea you would be as upset as you were…" he stopped, shaking his head at the memory.

He hated to see Mabel hurt or upset, and she had been more depressed than he had seen her in a long time and the worst part was knowing it was his fault. "I'm so sorry, Mabel, I never wanted to hurt you. It was such a great opportunity but…I don't know now. Not that it matters. See, what happened was you were so upset you ran off into the woods, do you remember this? Any of it?"

Mabel shook her head, but she was listening to him intently, her eyes wide and watery as she absorbed everything he said.

"I'm not sure what happened to you exactly, but when you ran off you grabbed my backpack by mistake. There was an object in there that Bill had been wanting to get his hands on, an Interdimensional Rift..."

"You had mentioned that," Mabel nodded softly, turning away from him and distancing herself from her brother a few steps. She looked around the woods and saw Wendy and Soos out of earshot, but still visible and glanced back at Dipper, "Um…what did it look like?"

"Oh well uh… kind of like a snow globe I guess, but instead of snow it looked like a galaxy inside," Dipper replied, "It looked pretty cool actually but it was dangerous. Remember what the journals said about opening the Portal when we found the secret basement Grunkle Stan had been hiding? How it could potentially tear the universe apart?"

"I remember that," Mabel replied quietly, backing up a step, looking almost paranoid as she glanced around at the woods around them. Her eyes rested on a tree and even though it was just a tree, she stared at it as though it were significant to her somehow.

"Mabel do you…are you starting to believe me?"

"Um, not quite but…I believe that _you_ believe it so…continue."

"Well, the journals were right. Opening the Portal might have saved Great Uncle Ford, but it also created the Rift, and it had been cracking. When you ran off into the woods with my backpack, it must've accidentally been broken, that was all Bill needed to open the door to the Nightmare Realm and take over the world. That must've been when he trapped you in this bubble…"

"Just a little more summer…" she murmured quietly, so softly Dipper could hardly hear her.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," Mabel replied, shaking her head, glancing at the tree and then off into the woods down a different path, and then up at the sky which now a dreary grey. "You ever get the feeling of déjà vu? Because I'm feeling it like crazy right now…" she looked a little shaken up by it as she looked around the area, "I mean, I know I've been here before, a lot, but I feel like…like I've _been here_ before and…and…"

"This might be where it happened…"

"I thought this wasn't supposed to be real…" she scoffed.

"Yeah but, it _looks_ real, right? It looks so close to reality…or how things used to be before Bill…" his voice trailed off as he thought about the chaos outside. The woods as he remembered, as was almost perfectly represented in here, didn't exist anymore. "Maybe this was where you ran off to when the Rift broke…maybe a part of you still remembers…"

"Or maybe it's nothing more than déjà vu," Mabel replied decisively, "which isn't all that weird. What you're saying though…that's weird."

"Please Mabel, you have to believe me!" Dipper begged.

"I…I'm sorry, Dipper I just…I can't," she closed her eyes, looking ashamed as she shook her head and backed away from him. A tear fell down her cheek that she quickly wiped away, "I'm sorry."

"Dudes!" Soos called, interrupting them, "You have to come see this!"

Dipper glanced at Mabel, unsure whether or not he was actually getting through to her. He stepped forward to comfort her but she refused it, giving him a light shove as she backed away another step, shaking her head adamantly. "Go," she said, "go see what Soos and Wendy f-found. I…I'll be right behind you. I just need a minute, OK?"

"Mabel…do you believe me at all? Does _none_ of this ring a bell?"

"I don't…I don't _know_!" she exclaimed, "What you're saying…it sounds almost familiar, almost like a dream I once had… but… it's all too bizarre…" she wiped another tear, "Just…go ahead. I'll be right there."

Dipper nodded, "OK, sure. I know it's a lot to take in, no matter what you believe so if you need a minute…"

"Please?"

"Yeah, OK," he replied heading off to join Wendy and Soos. When he reached them he followed their line of sight and saw a faint, barely noticeable, transparent pink aura in the distance. "Whoa, you found it!" Dipper exclaimed.

"Mabel, is she OK?" Wendy asked.

"I'm not sure," Dipper replied, "I think she _might_ be starting to believe us? Either that or she's wondering if she should try to have us committed…heck, maybe it's a little bit of both."

"I can only imagine how weird it must be," Wendy mused, "to be told your whole world is just an illusion..."

Suddenly Mabel's voice cried out in alarm, startling them as everything around them flashed white and the whole forest flickered in and out of existence. "Mabel!" Dipper gasped as he shielded his eyes, instinctively turning towards where his sister had been and caught sight of a brilliant pink glow way off in the distance as the fake world around them flickered and then stabilized, returning to normal.

"What just happened?" Wendy wondered out loud.

"That was really weird, dudes," Soos agreed.

"Mabel?" Dipper called out worriedly, leading the way as the trio headed to where Dipper had left her but she wasn't there. There was no sign of her.

"Mabel!"

* * *

A/N So, what do you guys think happened? Well, two chapters down, two more to go! (I know I said threeshot, but I realize that I can't get everything I wanted to say out in three, so I think it will be a fourshot now!) Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think, good or bad! I'd love to hear your thoughts!The action picks up in the next chapter which I hope to get uploaded by Saturday. (Fingers crossed)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Well, how does the saying go? If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Man, I really wanted to get this out before the next episode but once again reality got in the way. Stupid reality! Hmm, that seems oddly appropriate...

Anyway, sorry for the delay, but at least it's a short one this time around, though I missed my personal deadline. UGH! The last few months have been, _trying_ to say the least and just when I think things are finally getting better... Long story short, aside from already being busy enough as it is: Winter has officially arrived here, I am a _klutz_ and that means I had to type most of this chapter with one hand which is slow going and annoying! Feel free to fill in the blanks.

Thanks to my reviewers as always. You guys are awesome.

TMNTGFKittySidekick01: Sorry for the delay, I tried. Hope you like this chapter you awesome person you!

littlestmchenrys: Thank you so much for the fave and follow and review! I'm so happy you like this!

Princess Dia: School should come first, I applaud your willpower. I haven't seen it yet myself, I probably won't get to watch until Thursday which sucks but I have my reasons, namely my BFF (who is a fan of GF because of me) wants us to watch it together when we're both free. I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far and I hope you like this next chapter!

plasma Sodalite: Ummm...thanks? I think? Not sure what to say to that. LOL

Extreme Light 9: Yeah, I think I'd be overwhelmed if someone I cared about and trusted more than anyone else in the world told me my whole reality was a lie... Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying this!

shootingstar34: Happy to be back! Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like it!

Well, on with the story!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

"Mabel!" Dipper called out, getting a little frantic, "What happened to her?"

"Something must've happened when everything got all weird," Soos frowned before he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, "Mabel? Where are you Hambone?"

Wendy headed back towards the edge of the bubble and the others followed, "Do you think she got out?"

"Doubt it," Dipper replied, tentatively reaching for the edge, "this is a prison, remember? I think Mabel disappeared because she got too close," he sighed worriedly, "I should've known there was a catch. It had seemed too easy…" he tried to touch the transparent pink aura of the bubble's edge and yelped in pain and surprise when he felt an electric shock knock him off his feet.

"Dipper!" Wendy cried in alarm, rushing to his aid, "Are you OK?"

He nodded, looking a little bewildered and shaken as they all glanced up and saw the bubble from the inside ripple like a wave. For a moment they could see the real world outside tinted pink as the bubble's edge cracked before retaining the illusion of a transparent pink aura and the fake reality came back into view.

"I'm OK, but I don't think we can get out either. Not that I would try and leave without Mabel... Come on, we need to find her. Once we find her again we'll figure something out," Dipper decided, picking himself up with Wendy and Soos's help. He brushed the dirt from his clothes and started back towards the Mystery Shack.

"Did you guys notice that pink thing?" Wendy asked, looking around for a sign of Mabel as they walked, "When Mabel disappeared and things seemed to flicker out of existence for a second?"

Dipper nodded, "Yeah, what was that?"

"It flashed too quickly to tell but based on how big the bubble was on the outside, I'd say whatever it was, dudes, it's right in the middle of this thing," Soos said.

"Which would be where in here?" Dipper wondered, "Something tells me that's what we need to find in order to get out of here."

"Don't know, dude," Soos shrugged, "this illusion doesn't seem to be to the same scale as reality. This bubble dudes, seems bigger on the inside."

"Yeah," Dipper sighed. "Mabel!" he called out again fearfully.

"Don't worry," Wendy said, putting her hand on his shoulder, "We'll find her, she'll be OK."

They reached the Mystery Shack and saw Stan exactly where he had been before when they first arrived, happily collecting money from his guests. Mabel stepped out of the Gift Shop with a light skip to her step, Waddles by her side.

"Mabel!" Dipper called out, waving, "What the heck happened to you? You disappeared and we were worried."

"Hey guys," she smiled, cocking her head to the side in confusion, "What are you talking about broseph? I've been here for the last couple of hours helping Grunkle Stan with the shop, remember?"

"But…you were just with us and…" Dipper started but stopped when it occurred to him what might've happened. _The bubble…it's a prison designed by Bill, I think Mabel's stuck in a time loop or something…that's how it's keeping her here. Maybe it resets itself when she gets too close to escaping? Oh man, how do we get her out of this?_

"Yeah," she chuckled, "this morning! When you and I saw Bigfoot. _That_ was an adventure, wasn't it? Well anyway, I'm just about to go hang out with Candy and Grenda…"

"Wait, Mabel," Dipper said, "You don't remember joining us just now?" _Please say you remember…_

Mabel shook her head, "How could I have been when I was helping out Grunkle Stan with…" she paused, her smile fading as she winced, her hand going to her head, "Wait…what?"

"Are you OK?" Dipper asked.

"Uh…yeah," she replied, "I just…you ever get the feeling of déjà vu?"

"Once in a while…you must be feeling it a lot lately," Dipper guessed, and it made him a little hopeful. _I think…if I'm right and she is in a time loop or whatever…maybe our arrival has thrown things off balance._

"Yeah, and it's really strong right now, like crazy intense," she admitted, "it's weird."

"Do you remember joining us in the woods just now?" Dipper asked again.

"No," Mabel said, "but…I _feel_ like I have. Something doesn't feel quite right…" she frowned, looking a little unsteady. Meanwhile, the weather, which had returned back to being perfect when everything flickered back into existence was starting to get cooler again as clouds began to roll in. "Um, why do you ask? What makes you think…?"

"Mabel, are you _sure_ you're OK?" Wendy asked carefully.

"Yeah dude, you look like you saw a ghost," Soos added.

"I…I need to go inside for a minute, you guys want to join me?" she asked, "I just made a fresh batch of Mabel Juice…wait…didn't we…?"

"Already do that?" Dipper asked, "We did. Before we went into the woods."

"What's wrong with me today?" she wondered out loud, bewildered as the wind picked up while she quickly began to look more and more unsettled by the situation.

 _She remembers,_ Dipper thought, hoping his theory was right, _she's remembering when she's not supposed to._

"Mabel, do you remember going into the woods just now?" Dipper asked again, slowly, carefully, "Because we did. And then you disappeared and ended up back here, exactly where we found you before."

She looked him in the eye, looking lost and confused and shook her head, "I…I don't…what's going on?" she asked, crossing her arms and leading the way inside in a daze, Dipper, Wendy and Soos following close behind. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of Mabel Juice and took a sip before spitting it out. "Blech!" she groaned, "This is supposed to taste like my favourite thing! It's so gross! Wait, this…this isn't right! Something's off…something's wrong!" she stood up, looking frantic as outside the dreary clouds turned dark and thunder boomed. The lights began to flicker and she looked panicked, "Dipper?" she turned to him, "What's going on?"

"Bill," he said as way of explanation, "He trapped you in a fake reality, do you remember? Do you remember me telling you this?"

She shook her head, "That's crazy! Is he messing with you aga—?" she gasped, "This is a dream, right? It has to be!"

"It's no dream, dude," Soos cut in, "it's real. Well, this isn't real, it's an illusion…"

"But what I told you in the woods, it's real," Dipper said, "Do you remember? Do you remember any of it?"

"Bill took over the world," Wendy said.

"He got hold of the Rift, the interdimensional Rift that formed when the Portal opened, do you remember? You _have_ to remember," Dipper pleaded. _She remembers, she's not meant to but she does somewhere deep down, I_ know _it!_

"Y-you're wrong, you're all wrong," she insisted, though it was clear she didn't believe what she was saying.

"Before you disappeared and ended up here again, you said that what I was describing sounded familiar like a dream you once had, remember? Mabel _this_ reality right here isn't real, and that thing you thought your dreamt once, _that_ ' _s_ what really happened… we need you, you have to believe us," Dipper continued desperately.

"Mabel!"

She startled when she heard her brother call her name from the opposite side of the room from he was standing. She turned to look and everyone looked in shock as another Dipper entered the room, along with Grunkle Stan. Mabel looked back and forth between the two as the real Dipper and company gaped at his doppelganger and the fake version of Stan.

Standing between the two groups, an already overwhelmed Mabel fell to her knees, "What's going on?!" she cried.

"Mabel, please you have to listen, don't trust them, they're not real," fake Dipper pleaded, "they did something to you, they're messing with you. I think they were created by Bill."

"He's lying," the real Dipper cut in, "he's an illusion and so is Stan and so is this whole world around you. Bill trapped you in this prison bubble and the real world is outside it, remember? Bill tore a hole between dimensions and took over the world. Remember me telling you this? I think you were starting to believe me, and I think you're starting to believe me now. I think deep down you remember…"

"It's a trick," fake Dipper stated, "Bill's trying to trick you and take you away from me."

She shook her head, "B-but…the unicorn hair…it's protected the Shack, Bill can't get in…"

"That's why he sent doppelgangers of me, Soos and Wendy, to trick you…" fake Dipper argued.

"This isn't the real Mystery Shack," the real Dipper said, "and they're not real too. They're both part of the illusion Bill created to keep you here."

"He's telling the truth, Mabel," Wendy added.

"Yeah," Soos nodded, "you have to believe us, Hambone."

"Mabel, sweetie, it's OK, come to us," Stan pleaded, reaching out for her, "we won't let them take you."

Both groups started to approach her but she backed away from all of them. "How do I know any of you are real? Maybe you're all fake, maybe I'm dreaming and…and...Dipper, how do I know you didn't use the copier again? Is this some sort of sick _joke_?"

"It's not a joke," both Dippers said in unison.

"You know I wouldn't pull a prank like this," the real Dipper added, "Come on, _think_. Use your head, you remember, deep down you remember and you know I'm telling the truth. This world is trying to make you forget…"

"He's lying, in your heart you know he is. He's trying to lure you into Bill's trap," fake Dipper pleaded.

Mabel clutched her head, "STOP IT! Just shut up!" she cried as lightning flashed outside. She squeezed her eyes shut with a wince, "I feel so strange right now, like…like I've been here before, like I've _done_ this before but it's so different… I feel like I'm forgetting something important and _you guys_ aren't helping!"

Everyone went quiet as outside a storm began to rage. Mabel glanced back and forth between the two groups, a look of distress, but also deep concentration on her face. Finally she murmured, glancing at the real Dipper, "What does this Rift thingie you mentioned look like?" Her voice was quiet, and rough as she spoke, her eyes an open window revealing a lost soul desperate for answers.

"The best way I can describe it is that it looks like a snow globe…"

"…but instead of snow, it looks like a galaxy inside," she finished his sentence and Dipper noticed his doppelganger scowl and fake Stan clench his fist, but when Mabel glanced their way their expressions softened back into concern and worry. She glanced back at her real brother, "And wh-what happened to it?"

"It broke," he replied, "and that let Bill take physical form in our world. He's taken over and everything is in chaos. Creatures from his realm have invaded…it's the Apocalypse out there."

A tear fell down Mabel's cheek, "And there's nothing that can be done to stop him?"

"Not without you," Dipper replied. _You believe me, don't you?_ "Attempts had been made but…they didn't end well." He shuddered, remembering with sadness and clarity Ford being turned into a gold statue, and the journals turning to ashes. He remembered helicopters and fighter jets and missiles being disintegrated with a snap of Bill's fingers; there had been several attempts, not just the one shot Ford had tried and Dipper's pathetic effort to strike him, and they all ended in disaster.

"And what makes you think I'd be any help?" she asked.

"Because, you're the only one who defeated him in the past."

"That was different, and I didn't _defeat_ him, I just got rid of him for a while because he was possessing you and I knew _your_ weaknesses, not his."

"So? It still counts. You're resourceful and I think your weirdness is enough to rival his. If anyone could figure out how to defeat him, it would be you I think. Besides, you and me, we make a great team," Dipper added, glancing at Wendy with a small grin, "Mystery Twins, remember? We can be pretty unstoppable together."

"Don't listen to him, sweetie," fake Stan cut in.

"He's lying," fake Dipper added, "all three of them are imposters. You know I'm right because we truly _are_ a great team. You and _me_ , not him."

Mabel glared at them, "I'm not talking to you yet, wait your turn." She turned back to the real Dipper, "What if you're wrong? What if I come with you and we get out of this bubble or whatever it is, and we fail? What then?"

"You believe me?" Dipper asked, hopeful.

" _What then_? The world ends? You die? I die? _Everyone_ dies?" Mabel began to cry, "Bill and his buddies take over?"

"I won't let that happen, _we_ won't let that happen," Dipper insisted. "Please Mabel, I need you. Do you remember now? Do you believe me?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes wet with unshed tears, "I…I remember. I remember everything you told me before, in the woods a-about what happened. I had thought it was a dream but now…now I know it wasn't. I believe you."

Dipper sighed with relief, "Then come with us, let us save you so we can all save the world together."

Mabel broke into sobs shaking her head, "But I can't…I…I can't do this! I want to help you but I can't! I don't deserve… I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry! This…this was all my fault!" She gasped, her eyes widening in horror as the realization hit her, "Oh god! It's all my fault! All of it!"

"Mabel," Dipper soothed, "please, don't be like that. You did nothing wrong…"

"I had the snow globe Rift thingie!" she cried, "Of course it was my fault, but…I didn't know, I didn't _know_!"

"It was an accident, you grabbed my backpack by mistake and it was already cracking, that's why Grunkle Ford and I went on that mission that day, to fix it. If anything it was my fault because I had made you so upset…I'm the one who should be sorry," Dipper soothed, taking a step towards her, but she shuffled back until she hit the table. She buried her face in her hands and shook her head in denial.

"No, you don't…you don't understand!" she cried, "It's my fault! I _remember_! I remember everything!"

Dipper reached for her, but Soos nudged his shoulder and pulled him back and he turned his attention to his doppelganger and the fake Stan. They were both grinning, wide manic smiles as their eyes glowed yellow.

"Oh Mabel, sweetie," 'Stan' said, his voice low and threatening, "you shouldn't have said that."

"You're not supposed to remember," fake Dipper added as they approached her.

Mabel's red, watery eyes widened in fear as she regarded them, she scrambled to her feet, backing away from them as she looked back to the real Dipper and Soos and Wendy, "Go, you guys. Go, get out of here. Save yourselves, save the world," she ordered. She was no longer crying, though tears were still falling freely down her cheeks, but she looked dead serious, "GO!"

"Not without you!"

"I'm stuck here, I can't leave! I had forgotten all about it but I had tried a few times before and I _can't_ leave," Mabel hissed, "Go, bro-bro! You guys need to go _now_! This place is—!"

"Better do as she says Pine Tree," fake Stan snickered, cutting her off by raising his hand with purpose as Mabel suddenly began to glow pink and lift from the ground with a startled cry. He closed his hand into a fist and Mabel began to choke, gasping weakly for air.

"Mabel!" Dipper cried, as they all tried to go to her aid, but fake Dipper held out his hands and a powerful gust of wind knocked the three of them off their feet, "Let her go!"

"See, here's the thing," fake Stan explained, "she's not supposed to remember. If she doesn't remember, she's happy. She's got everything she asked for and more."

"Wait, what?" Dipper breathed, looking to Mabel who was still suspended in the air, choking in fake Stan's invisible grip, she looked at him desperately and in her eyes he could see shame and regret.

"But then you three showed up and had to ruin everything. You just threw her perfect summer off balance and reminded her of the world she left behind, and that was a mistake," he continued as though Dipper hadn't spoken, "If she remembers, this little utopia of hers becomes a nightmare, and you had to go and remind her and believe me, the more she remembers, the worse this nightmare of hers will get. I will make her life _hell_."

"Leave her alone!" Dipper snapped.

"So go, get out of here, if you can. Go fight your useless battle, _try_ to save the world. You'll fail, you'll crash and _burn_ , but with you three gone and out of here, she can go back to forgetting if she so chooses, her suffering can end and she can continue to enjoy her perfect, endless summer in peace," fake Stan grinned, "It's what she wants. She made a deal and you _ruined_ it."

"D-Dipper…" Mabel gasped, her eyes rolling back as the world around them flickered in and out of existence as she started to lose consciousness. The brilliant pink glow flashed in the distance, vanishing as the fake kitchen in the Mystery Shack reappeared.

"You want her to be happy, don't you?" he asked mockingly.

"Let her go," Dipper demanded. Fake Stan shrugged and lowered his hand and she dropped to the floor in a heap, gasping for air as the world around them stabilized.

"D-Dipper…" she cried, coughing as she caught her breath, "I…"

"Is that true?" he asked quietly in disbelief, "Did you make a deal with Bill?"

Mabel lowered her gaze and nodded.

"Mabel…h-how? How could you?" he asked, hurt and betrayed.

"I…I didn't know," she replied softly.

Dipper was reeling, he didn't know what to make of this revelation. Mabel, made a _deal_ with Bill and handed him the Rift. She just _handed_ it over, giving him the opportunity to take over and end the world just so her summer could last forever?

"What the heck, Mabel?!"

"I'm so, so sorry!" she cried, "I didn't know! I was upset and I wasn't thinking clearly I…"

"All this time…all this time I thought something horrible happened to you, I watched people get turned to stone, devoured by monsters, I spent the last three days on the run, trying to find you, not knowing if you were dead or alive. I struggled to survive and avoid capture or death, each day I grew more tired and hungry and hurt, and I had lost hope, I had almost given up. We nearly _died_ trying to reach this bubble prison of yours, oh sorry, this bubble _paradise_ , and all this time you were having this perfect, endless summer…" Dipper's voice was akin to a growl, low and threatening. "All this time I thought…I thought it was _my_ fault but it wasn't… it wasn't… because you…you made a deal."

"I didn't know what it was! I'm so sorry Dipper!" Mabel sobbed, "I didn't mean it! I didn't know!"

"No, _I'm_ sorry," he spat sarcastically, "I'm sorry I had to come in here and ruin your little party. Don't let me interrupt, we'll see ourselves out. Carry on with your perfect summer then, I'm out of here."

"Dude," Wendy gasped, watching him turn away and start to walk out the door.

"We're just going to leave her here?" Soos asked grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving.

"It's what she wants, isn't it?" Dipper snapped, shaking himself out of Soos's grip, "It's part of her _deal_ apparently. We leave and she can return to her fake life of ignorant bliss while everyone she cares about suffers in the real world," he started to storm out again but stopped on his own accord this time, twirling to Mabel, clearly not finished, "Man, Mabel how could you be so selfish?"

Still on her knees she reached out for him, "I didn't want this to happen! I didn't think—!"

"You never do, do you? You don't think. You're so impulsive you just…dive right into things, you don't even consider the consequences, and you never learn!" Dipper hissed. "Ford was right when he said I shouldn't trust anyone, but I thought…I thought of all people, I could trust you. I was wrong."

"I didn't know! I didn't know what it was, I didn't know it was _him_!"

But Dipper wasn't listening. A part of him knew he was being irrational and harsh, because how could Mabel have known? Surely if she knew, things would've been different. She wouldn't wish such harm upon anyone, not even her worst enemy.

But he had been through so much, and he had been _terrified_ for his sister. _Anything_ could have happened to her, and his imagination took him to so many dark, horrific places when he wondered what Bill might've done to her. And he thought _he_ was the one to blame. It was a burden he carried for three days, one that got heavier and heavier as the minutes turned to hours, and the hours turned to days. And then to learn that she was fine—not just fine but _happy_ because she had made a _deal_? _The_ deal that caused it all? It filled him with a strange mix of emotions too profound to comprehend all at once and all he could do was lash out.

"I don't care."

* * *

A/N Spot the Doctor Who reference? Anyway, I know that Mabel's turn around was a little rushed, (feels that way to me anyway) and if I had more time and less projects that need my attention, well, I had originally planned a "Groundhog Day" like scenario with a slight twist of Mabel not realizing that she's repeating the same day over again until Dipper and co arrive and she starts to retain some memories of her previous 'day' and in turn remember bits and pieces of reality. Probably for the best, I honestly don't know how I'd pull that one off anyway without becoming too repetitive. And was Dipper overreacting? I think so, but I also think it was understandable considering all he'd been through.

Also IMPORTANT: I have not seen the episode yet, and probably won't until Thursday or so. I also have avoided promos due to being a huge spoilerphobe. So just in case you feel compelled, no spoilers please! I have absolutely no idea what to expect, though I'm sure it'll be much more different from what I have here (and way better because Alex is amazing) and I'd imagine it involves a never-ending summer and copious amounts of glitter or something because this is _Mabel_ we're talking about... And emotional sibling moments. I love sibling moments.

Well, thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon.


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